Newest Charger says he's finally healthy

“I don't think I've played more than 60 or 70 percent,” Johnson said Tuesday after his first practice as a Charger. “ I feel better than in years.”

Johnson, acquired Monday in a trade with Houston, had sports hernia surgery nine weeks ago and just returned to practice with the Texans last week. He worked about a dozen plays in team drills Tuesday.

Johnson has yet to play in the preseason and won't play Friday against San Francisco. He doesn't know the Chargers' calls and hasn't played end in three years.

“I wouldn't do that to him,” head coach Norv Turner said. “Our goal is to have him ready for the Oakland game (Sept. 14).”

In the final year of the contract he signed as a first-round pick in 2005, Johnson will eventually be thrown into the mix at right defensive end. He could eventually compete for the starting job there.

“He has an opportunity to help this football team and help himself,” Turner said.

Said Johnson, who will wear No. 72: “Once I get healthy, I think the sky is the limit, especially being in this program this year.”

Byrd eye roster spot – in 2010

Demetrius Byrd is a long way from playing football. His hope is to compete for a roster spot next summer.

For now, he is struggling with his balance and coordination and rehabilitating from the brain injury suffered in an automobile accident the week before April's draft.

“It means a lot,” Byrd said of the Chargers signing him to a contract on Monday. “This is a big thing to me. They didn't have to do this.”

Byrd, a receiver who was the Chargers' seventh-round draft pick, has attended practices and sat in on some meetings the past two days. He will spend the season on the non-football injured reserve list. He hasn't started running or lifting, doing light work on machines as part of his rehab.

“To me, it's not about football,” Turner said. “It's about him getting back to being himself.”

In addition to designating Byrd, the Chargers placed cornerback Brandon Hughes on injured reserve and released linebacker Anthony Felder to get down to the required 75-man roster limit. All NFL teams must be pared to 53 by Saturday.

Nuts 'n' Bolts

Backup offensive tackle L.J. Shelton hasn't practiced in two weeks due to a knee injury. He is expected to be fine for the start of the season.

Nose tackle Jamal Williams returned to practice, as did receiver Buster Davis. Williams had been getting some “veteran rest” while Davis was nursing knee tendinitis. Right guard Kynan Forney (neck) sat a second straight day.

Turner, a former college quarterback and, in fact, the backup to Dan Fouts at Oregon, threw some passes to running backs Tuesday. With Turner standing at the 30, the backs were to catch the passes going into the end zone. A couple times, they had to slow down to allow Turner's “spirals” to catch up to them before the goal line.